‘Extremely disappointing’: US trade partners respond to Trump’s new tariffs

Lead

The administration of United States President Donald Trump has imposed a fresh wave of tariffs on dozens of trading partners, prompting a swift and critical response from allies and adversaries alike.

Countries across the world responded on Friday to the new measures, which target more than 80 countries with rates ranging from 10 to 12.5 percent, according to Al Jazeera. The duties were justified under Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974, with Washington arguing that the countries in question failed to adequately restrict imported goods made with forced labor.

Many of the countries targeted have rejected that allegation outright.

The new tariffs replace an expiring global duty introduced earlier this year. As The Guardian reported, the measures effectively replace blanket 10% tariffs imposed by Trump in February, many of which the US Supreme Court had ruled illegal. The new levies come in at between 10% and 12.5% on countries including the UK, Mexico, Canada, Australia, India, China, and the 27 countries that make up the EU.

Coverage Comparison

The three outlets covering this story approached the tariff announcement from different angles, though all emphasized the negative international reception.

Al Jazeera's coverage focused on the global reaction, presenting a region-by-region breakdown of official responses. The outlet noted that the tariffs were justified under Section 301 and that many targeted countries rejected the forced-labor claim. Its reporting framed the issue as a matter of US trade policy, with officials' quotes driving the narrative.

The Guardian emphasized the scale of the tariffs and their legal backdrop, noting that the US Supreme Court had ruled many of Trump's earlier tariffs illegal. Its coverage carried a more critical tone, highlighting market turmoil in Asia and the strong objections of European officials. The Guardian also detailed the stock market impact, reporting that Japan's Nikkei 225 fell 3.1%, Hong Kong's Hang Seng dropped 11.4%, and South Korea's Kospi slumped 6.2%, while European markets showed a mixed picture.

South China Morning Post concentrated on China's response, reporting that Beijing's Ministry of Commerce objected to the latest tariff while signaling it would hold off on retaliation. The ministry called the Section 301 investigation "a textbook act of unilateralism and protectionism." This outlet also reported that the US imposed fresh tariffs of 10 to 12.5 percent on 60 trading partners, a figure that differs slightly from the 80-plus figure cited by Al Jazeera and The Guardian.

Key Claims

• Scope of tariffs: The US imposed fresh tariffs of 10 to 12.5% on 60 trading partners, according to the South China Morning Post, which included China and allies such as the EU, Japan, and South Korea. Al Jazeera and The Guardian reported the measures targeted more than 80 countries with rates ranging from 10% to 12.5%.

• Legal justification: The tariffs were imposed under Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974, with the administration saying countries failed to enforce bans on goods produced by forced labor, as reported by all three outlets.

• China's response: China's Ministry of Commerce objected to the US tariff but signalled it will hold off on retaliation for now, noting the 12.5 percent duty keeps the United States within the ceiling promised in earlier talks, as reported by the South China Morning Post.

• AI allegations: China's Ministry of Commerce also rejected US allegations that Chinese AI companies had "distilled" American models, a claim carried only by the South China Morning Post.

• Replacement of earlier tariffs: The new measures replace blanket 10% tariffs imposed by Trump in February, as reported by The Guardian. The US Supreme Court ruled many of those tariffs illegal.

• Rejection by other countries: Many countries targeted have rejected the forced-labor allegation, as reported by Al Jazeera and The Guardian.

Perspectives

Australia: Australian Trade Minister Don Farrell rejected any claims linking Australia to forced labor, saying, "We believe that amongst all of the countries in the world, Australia does take the issue of slavery, modern slavery, seriously, and will continue to do that." He said Australia will "continue to lobby the United States" to remove the tariffs, as reported by Al Jazeera.

New Zealand: Prime Minister Christopher Luxon called the new tariffs "extremely disappointing to see," as reported by Al Jazeera.

European Union: EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas questioned the rationale for the tariffs, saying, "You can’t say that for the European Union... If you compare our labour laws to the ones of the United States, I mean, we have paid vacations, we have very good labour conditions for our employees, so it’s not really grounded," as reported by The Guardian.

China: China's Ministry of Commerce called the Section 301 investigation and subsequent tariffs "a textbook act of unilateralism and protectionism," and rejected the forced-labor allegations as manipulation. The ministry said it reserved "the right to take all necessary measures," but signalled it would not retaliate immediately, as reported by the South China Morning Post.